Goofs and Saddles
| runtime = | country = United States | language = English }} Goofs and Saddles is the 24th short film released by Columbia Pictures in 1937 starring American slapstick comedy team The Three Stooges (Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Curly Howard). The comedians released 190 short films for the studio between 1934 and 1959. Plot Set in the Old West, the Stooges are scouts for the United States Cavalry. They are sent by General Muster (Ted Lorch) to catch a gang of cattle rustlers, so they hide as bushes to try to find the gang's leader, Longhorn Pete (Stanley Blystone). However, the rustlers see past their disguises and shoot at the trio, forcing them to flee. The Stooges eventually wind up in Longhorn Pete's saloon, and the Stooges disguise themselves as gamblers and get into a card game with Pete as they wait for the cavalry. Moe attempts to send a message to General Muster for help via carrier pigeon, but the pigeon returns to Pete, who reads the incriminating message aloud. The Stooges are forced to escape for their lives, jumping on a covered wagon filled with household equipment — and a monkey. The trio toss pots and pans from the wagon onto the ground, which the hoofs of the rustlers' horses catch them. The wagon loosens up from the horse team, and goes down in its own power until it stops. The Stooges lock themselves within a small house, forcing the rustlers to use their guns on it from the outside. A bullet knocks off the monkey's hat, and he is forced to use a dipper as a helmet. Amidst the melee, Curly spots a meat grinder and decides to make a hamburger. The whizzing bullets accidentally topple a box of ammunition into the grinder, and the grinder becomes a makeshift Gatling gun. Discovering the chance, they add more ammunition and even a gun belt serving as an ad hoc ammunition belt. The increase in opposing firepower overwhelm the bandits until General Muster and his soldiers arrives and captures them. As the Stooges are given kudos for a job well done, the monkey goes to the grinder and twists the handle, firing a few shots that caused the three to be hit and flee the area. Cast * Moe Howard as Wild Bill Hiccup * Larry Fine as Just-Plain-Bill * Curly Howard as Buffalo Billious * Stanley Blystone as Longhorn Pete * Ted Lorch as General Muster * Ethan Laidlaw as Tex * Hank Mann as Lem * Sam Lufkin as Colonel * Eddie Laughton as Bartender * Lew Davis, William Irving as Poker players * Cy Schindell, Hank Bell, Blackie Whiteford, Jerome "Blackjack" Ward as gang members * Ethelreda Leopold, Eve Reynolds, Elaine Waters as saloon girls Production notes The title Goofs and Saddles is a spoof of the term "hooves and saddles". Filming was completed on April 14–19, 1937. The Stooges' names in this short are Buffalo Billious (Curly), Wild Bill Hiccup (Moe), and Just Plain Bill (Larry). The cultural references are to, respectively, American Old West figures Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickock, and Just Plain Bill, the title of a long-running radio program of the era. The chase sequence on horseback would be recycled in 1954's Pals and Gals. This short has the smallest slap count. Moe smacks Curly softly on his head and he slaps Larry when he thought Larry pulled them off the horses after hitting a tree branch. References External links * * Category:1937 films Category:The Three Stooges films Category:American films Category:English-language films Category:American black-and-white films Category:Films directed by Del Lord Category:Western (genre) comedy films Category:Columbia Pictures short films Category:American Western (genre) films Category:1930s Western (genre) films Category:American slapstick comedy films Category:1930s comedy films